The present invention relates to a flexible film laminate and food or product pouches or tubes therefrom.
Certain packaging applications require that the packaging material constitute a good barrier to the passage of oxygen. For example, the packaging of certain foods require that a minimum of oxygen or air be transmitted to the contents. Cheese is one food product which should be packaged to the exclusion of oxygen.
Oriented polyacrylonitrile (PAN) film has excellent oxygen barrier properties. One shortcoming, however, is that it is not heat sealable to itself. Because of this, it is necessary, therefore, to consider the imposition of an adhesive or bonding system between the PAN layers which will result in acting as an adherent bridge between the two or more layers.
In recent years, the food packaging industry has shown intense interest in the concept of pouch-packed foods which, among other advantages, do not require freezing for their preservation and can therefore dispense with costly and energy intensive refrigerated transportation and storage facilities. Much effort has gone into the development of a flexible food pouch which not only can withstand the rigors of sterilization and later reheating, e.g., microwave heating, and provide various properties which are sufficient to adequately protect the contents during storage, but which also employ materials which are toxicologically safe.
It is an object of the present invention to present polyacrylonitrile homopolymer film laminate or composites of two or more layers bonded together with a unique and effective bonding system.
It is a further object to present a food or product pouch or tube made from said laminate.